The resignation of the Romanian minister planning the country's EU presidency

BUCHAREST, Romania – According to Romanian officials, the government minister in charge of preparing the country to take control of the rotating presidency of the European Union on January 1 has resigned.

Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici said that the Minister of European Affairs Victor Negrescu has given way to Friday. The national press agency Agerpres cited Negrescu on Saturday saying he did not want to comment.

The Minister of European funds, Rovana Plumb, has confirmed his resignation. Plumb says that members of the party leading the Romanian coalition government were dissatisfied with Negrescu's performance in building good relations within the executive branch of the EU.

Negrescu is considered a moderate within the left Social Democratic party.

The EU and the US have criticized a judicial review initiated by the government that has undermined the fight against corruption in Romania.